Molting or dead?

[hookedonmantids]

Sorry for the bad picture- I didn't want to open the cage and disturb this guy if he's molting. I've never caught one of mine in the act, so I'm not sure what's going on here. This is my ghost that has been doing great and has molted twice for me. This morning he's hanging by 2 feet and not moving. Usually he at least turns his head to look at me, but he hasn't even done that. Is this molting? Or might he be dead?

 

[Sarah K]

It does kind of look like he is hanging from one foot which is generally not a good sign. Give it another 30 minutes, if nothing looks like it has changed, than go into the cage and check things out. 

 

[hookedonmantids]

His arms have twitched a few times so I'm going to hope he's just chosen a weird molting position and not take a chance on knocking him down. He does have two feet planted, one on top & one on the side, so hopefully he's got a good enough grip to hold on!

 

[Sarah K]

good luck!

 

[hookedonmantids]

So I checked on this guy when I came home last night, and he was in the same spot but still moving limbs occasionally, so I left him where he was. Tonight he was hanging by one foot, so I opened the cage and he immediately fell, and I assumed he was dead. But when I put him in my hand, he started twitching his legs. Now what? Might he be molting? The humidity in my invert room is always in the 50-60% range so I doubt that's an issue. To I try to hang him up and hope he molts? Or do I put the poor guy out of his misery?

 

[guapoalto049]

Euthanize it 

 

[Serle]

@hookedonmantids  Has he shed the exoskeleton or is it entangled ? If tangled it has probably dried in a poor (catastrophic) position and  should be euthanized ... S

 

[Teamonger]

I've personally never had a mantis come back after they started acting like this. I've tried honey/bananas to try to help get them past whatever issue they had with no luck. Few more days and all of them always ended up dead.

 

[Ocelotbren]

@Teamonger What exactly is the issue?  Did it try to molt but the exoskeleton never opened so it's essentially stuck in its skin?  I've read something about that before but didn't know how common it is.

 

[Teamonger]

@Ocelotbren Honestly I have no idea but I've had a number of mantises start acting like this and its always a sign they are dying. I had about 4 freshly molted adults pass away after acting like this as well so it wasn't a molting issue there. I also had two nymphs pass away due to what I suspect was either mold or infection problems from bad housing (which I have since fixed and learned from) who also acted like this. My assumption is it could be any number of issues and this is just the common "death throws" of a mantis trying to cling to life  

 

[Ocelotbren]

@Teamonger Ah so it could basically be anything but it's a bad sign one way or another.  That's too bad, but good to know.

@hookedonmantids I'm sorry for your loss.

 

[mantisfan101]

I had a male ghost mantis die this way...he refused eating, was limper than a noodle, and was haging on with his back legs. His abdomen was slightly bloated, which meant that he was 'full'. However, he refused to eat and eventually died...I would say parasites would be to blame...he was at least 2 molts behind my other female...